STUDENTS WITH PARENTING RESPONSIBILITIES - A good practice briefing for the UCAS Undergraduate application management service (AMS)
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STUDENTS WITH PARENTING RESPONSIBILITIES A good practice briefing for the UCAS Undergraduate application management service (AMS)
Who are students with parenting responsibilities?
Background
‘Parental responsibility’ refers to an adult who is responsible
In 2018, UCAS introduced a series of new questions for the care and wellbeing of a child aged 17 or under. This
into the UCAS Postgraduate AMS, allowing applicants may involve providing a home, looking after their health and
to self-declare certain circumstances for which wellbeing, financially supporting them, and ensuring their
providers may be able to offer support. These educational and medical needs are met. Different types of
questions will be reflected in the UCAS Undergraduate parenting include being a biological, step, adoptive, foster
AMS, to be launched in spring 2020, for 2021 or legal parent, a legally-appointed guardian, or providing
entry applications. kinship or other parental care to the child of a family
member or friend.
To support providers with the introduction of the new
questions, these good practice briefings outline the Currently, there are no accurate figures for the number of
common challenges for these students, give examples students with parenting responsibility in the UK. In 2009, the
of the support and good practice already in operation, Student Income and Expenditure Survey approximated this
and present some considerations for providers that at 8% of full-time students, and 36% of part-time students in
may not have a defined package of support already England, with similar figures reported in Wales and Scotland.1
in place. The majority of student parents are women (87%) and
mature (89%), and over a third are lone parents.2
This briefing looks at students who have parenting
responsibilities. Retention is a key issue for this group: the NUS found 60%
had thought about leaving their course (rising to 65% for
lone parents). However, despite the challenges, 75% reported
that higher education had been positive for themselves and
their families.3
The question and supporting text for AMS
To support the identification of students who have parenting
responsibilities, UCAS is introducing a question into the
application. This is currently live for UCAS Postgraduate
applications, and will be available for UCAS Undergraduate 1
Student Income and Expenditure Survey (2009). More recent numbers
applications from 2020, for 2021 entry:
havenot been reported.
2
NUS (2009) Meet the Parents. Note: Figures relate to students in both
higher and further education.
Are you a parent or do you have parenting
3
Ibid.
responsibilities? Y /N
Select ‘yes’ if you are a parent or responsible for the
care and wellbeing of a child aged 17 or under.
Three key challenges for students with
parenting responsibilities
Research by the NUS and others highlights three key areas
where additional support may be required:
1. Financial
The cost of childcare, especially for part-time students
and postgraduates, is a particular barrier: 76% report
receiving no childcare funding at all.4 The cost of travel
is likely to be higher for these students and, as their
availability to undertake paid work is limited, they may
find it harder to supplement their income. Accurate
advice about eligibility for benefits and other funding
is a widespread problem.
2. Academic
Because these students often need to organise their
studies around childcare (and sometimes paid work),
they may be affected by absence, lateness, and missed
deadlines. They may have less time to access learning
resources on campus, and courses requiring off-site
learning or work placements can cause problems with
childcare arrangements. As these students are more
likely to have been out of education for a while, they
may require help to brush up on their study skills.
3. Health and wellbeing
Juggling the conflicting priorities of studying and
parenting can be stressful, and students report feeling
guilty about the impact of their studies on their family,
and inadequacy about their capacity to fulfil both roles
effectively. One in ten students report feeling isolated
from wider student life.5 There may also be an impact on
their physical health, especially if they are pregnant.
4
NUS (2009) Meet the Parents. Note: Figures relate to students in both
higher and further education.
5
Ibid.
To support transition
Considerations ahead of the introduction
> Are there any opportunities for flexibility in timetabling
of this question for students with parenting responsibilities? Are
timetables sent out in good time? Are terms and reading
weeks aligned with school holidays, wherever possible?
To support pre-applicants
> Do you work with, or are you aware of, any local
> Is there a central contact with whom students with
off-campus facilities which students with parenting
parenting responsibilities can discuss any problems or
responsibilities might find useful? Consider creating a list
support needs before they apply or arrive? Are their
to publish online.
contact details easily accessible online?
> Is the support you offer clearly signposted on your To support ongoing study
website (preferably on a dedicated page) and through
> Is existing support inclusive of different ages (i.e.
student services?
not just mature students) and genders, and different
> Are students with parenting responsibility mentioned types of parenting? Are students who gain parental
in your widening participation strategy and plans (e.g. responsibilities during their studies represented in the
Access and Participation Plans in England)? support and information you provide? Is this all reflected
in your messaging?
To support applicants
> Are the three key challenges for students with parenting
> What processes are in place to share information about responsibilities (as outlined above) covered, or is further
an applicant’s declared circumstances with your student provision needed?
services team? What happens next – are all parties
> Are support groups or networks for students with
involved aware of their responsibilities?
parenting responsibilities invited to feed into
> Is the information relayed to the student’s academic developments and changes to ensure their needs and
tutor? Are academic staff aware of the needs of students concerns are represented?
with parenting responsibilities, or would they benefit
from further information or training? If you do not currently offer a discrete support package
> What opportunities do you offer students to alert you to for students with parenting responsibilities, consider what
their support needs later in the admissions process (e.g. support exists for all students which they might find helpful
during enrolment), if they choose not to do so on their (e.g. hardship funds, extenuating circumstances policy).
UCAS application, or if their circumstances change? Could these elements be signposted together in one place
(e.g. a dedicated web page for students with parenting
> Do you check for references to an applicant’s parenting responsibilities), or offered as a package?
responsibilities in their personal statement or reference –
even if they have not ticked the box?
> Do you give applicants sufficient notice of interviews
or auditions, so they can make any necessary childcare
arrangements, and do you allow them to reschedule if
they are unable to attend?
Examples of medium-term changes – may require changes
Examples of good practice and support for
to current plans, policies, or processes
students with parenting responsibilities > Help with the cost of childcare, and financial help over
the summer holidays.
123 universities and colleges across the UK specifically refer > Early delivery of timetables to allow students to arrange
to students with parental or family responsibilities in their childcare in good time.
2019 /20 widening participation plans (e.g. Access and > Dedicated parking spaces /permits for those who with
Participation Plans in England). These students are often childcare arrangements.
conflated with mature students and /or students with
care responsibilities, so the coverage of support may well > Breastfeeding and baby changing facilities accessible to
be higher. parents of any gender, and buggy-friendly routes around
campus – with maps.
Below, we present a selection of good practice from these > Campus access policies that permit supervised children in
providers, reflecting the diversity of support on offer. We certain areas, with toy boxes to keep them entertained,
hope this will inspire providers that are considering how they ‘kids’ corners’ in libraries, and student-led reading groups.
might support students with parenting responsibilities more
> Clear policies for supporting students with parenting
effectively. This may be through discrete support packages
responsibilities or who are pregnant, with checklists and
or extensions /adaptions of existing provision, to incorporate
step-by-step guidance for staff and students.
the needs of students with parenting responsibilities:
> Clear, easily accessible absence policies and extenuating
Examples of ‘quick wins’ circumstances procedures, and guidance for students
> A dedicated web page bringing together all relevant who are pregnant, or on maternity /paternity /partner
information, including links to external support. leave.
> A designated officer or named point of contact in > Priority access to hardship funds and financial advice,
student services, for advice and support. including help with budgeting and benefits.
> Parent support group (online and /or face-to-face)
Examples of longer-term changes which may require
or society, which brings together students with similar
planning and substantial changes
circumstances to support one another, organise events,
and drive improvements. This could be instigated at > On-campus childcare facilities, including after-school
any stage of the admissions process, particularly to clubs, school holiday playschemes, clubs and activities
support transition. – or information about local off-campus facilities and
schemes.
> Family activity days, social events aimed at student
parents, and discounted tickets for events. > Family accommodation on, or close to, the campus.
> Emergency supplies kits (e.g. nappies, baby food) > An on-site health centre which welcomes the families
available from student services. of current students.
> Information online for students who become pregnant
during their studies – including where to access
advice and support, risk assessments, extenuating
circumstances, and financial assistance.
> Free, regular study support skills workshops.
> Recorded lectures available online for those unable
to attend.Further information and support for providers
The following resources may be useful for providers that are
considering how they can support students with parenting
responsibilities:
> NUS’ 2009 report Meet the Parents.
> NUS’ 2016 ‘10 steps from child free to child-friendly’
campus campaign resources, including: 10 steps poster
and HE provider self-evaluation tool.
> NUS Scotland’s 2016 report The Bairn Necessities:
Student parents’ experiences of education at college
and university in Scotland, and accompanying
workshop notes and presentation slides to support
providers with welcoming student parents on campus.
> Brightside Trust’s 2015 report Supporting student
parents in their transition from Further to Higher
Education.
> Nuffield Foundation’s 2012 report Supporting Student
Parents in Higher Education: A policy analysis.
> For more advice on the rights and needs of students
during pregnancy and maternity, Advance HE has
produced guidance on how these students’ needs
can be met.
> UCAS has information to support students
with parenting responsibilities: www.ucas.com/
undergraduate/applying-university/individual-needs/
students-parenting-responsibilities© UCAS 2019 All rights reserved. UCAS is a registered trademark. UCAS, a company limited by guarantee, is registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 2839815. Registered charity number: 1024741 (England and Wales) and SC038598 (Scotland). We have made all reasonable efforts to ensure the information in this publication was correct at time of publication. We will not, however, accept any liability for errors, omissions, or changes to information since publication. Wherever possible, any changes will be updated on the UCAS website (www.ucas.com). MD-5220
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